


Speaking Terms

by opalmatrix



Category: Chanur Series - C. J. Cherryh
Genre: Dysfunctional Family, Family, Gen, Generation Gap, Making Up, Reconciliation, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 15:05:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1095428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opalmatrix/pseuds/opalmatrix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Tahy Mahn lays a matter to rest — at last.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Speaking Terms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dryad](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dryad/gifts).



> The request was: "Tahy, working Tahy... what's not to love?? I'd love to see some things from Tahy's pov … ." Beta by **[ambyr](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ambyr/pseuds/ambyr)** , **[nekonexus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/nekonexus/pseuds/nekonexus)** , and **[smillaraaq](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Smillaraaq/)**

The spring wind blew in through the open shutters and ruffled the papers on the massive wooden work table in Tahy Mahn's office. This had been her father's workspace, once, when Khym was Mahn's lord and Tahy was a little girl. Now, modernized with the latest electrical systems, it served Tahy in her management of the clan's newest business: mining the hills of Mahn for a variety of minerals crucial to the building of electronic components for aircraft and starships.

A new mahen-made computer held the core account records, of course, but Tahy liked to work with paperfaxes when she was trying to come to a decision. As a child, she had despised this sort of mathematics, but as she had grown up, and then older still, the numbers had started to speak to her and form pictures in her mind. The puzzle of the input and output of raw ores, refined bars of metal, and the sales proceeds was a soothing refuge from the wrangling of setting up deals and working the political situation. Storming another estate in a land grab might have been exciting to her younger self, but at her current age, with the sprinkling of grey hairs spreading back from her nose, she liked the certainty of knowing her place on Anuurn. And _her_ youngsters knew where to find their mother and aunt, b'gods.

As if on cue, a surreptitious argument became audible outside the door of her office. Tahy listened for a moment, then laid down the pen and opened the door.

"See?" said young Rhafy. "I told you."

Khora rumpled his nose and showed his childish fangs briefly in a snarl. Tahy cuffed him on the back of the head, and then for good measure gave Rhafy a smack on her dark-furred ear.

"Ow, Mother! What was that for?"

"You're both supposed to be at lessons, and you're a lot older than he is. How did you both end up outside my door when I'm working?"

"Aunt Joran said we could take a stretch break, and she would get us a snack."

"Where are the rest of them?"

"In the courtyard."

"That's where you should be too, then. Aren't you supposed to be looking after them, daughter?"

"He ran off," said Rhafy. "Chunan can manage them for a few minutes." Tahy was pleased that she managed to say this levelly, without any of the pre-adolescent sulkiness that she'd been showing lately. It was true that Chunan was only two years younger.

"I wanted to see the new computer," said Khora.

"It's not a toy, boy. Go back to your cousins: your mother will be looking for you."

Khora glared. "Father said—."

"Who earns the money for electronic toys for greedy boys? Did your father tell you that? I need quiet to do my work." She drew a deep breath. "Don't growl at me, whelp!"

Khora dropped his eyes and looked at his toes. "Yes, Aunt Tahy."

"Better. Rhafy, take him back to the schoolroom. Now. Your aunt may not even give either of you a snack, at this rate."

Khora gave her a horrified look and ran back toward the center of the house. Rhafy sighed. "Yes, Mother," she said and went after him.

Tahy shut the door and went back to her table. The message light was flashing on the new computer. She sat down and brought up the message system. One was a routine communication from cousin Maurany, the manager at the Sheruun Mine. Tahy diverted the attached datafile to the filing system. The next was another routine bulletin: the list of the incoming ships due this week at Gaohn Station, which was sent to her automatically, as it was sent to any other industry chief who had business concerns on-station. The third was an invitation from the owner of Nistanai-An Manufacturing, the mahen company with which Mahn had recently signed a deal, to tour their orbital manufactory facility and see how the Mahn minerals were made into components.

Tahy shrugged. She was far from certain that she wanted to travel to the space station. On the other hand, Hasmeraje Taranshan-min seemed a sensible woman, and it would probably be a good business move to accept the invitation. And it might even be interesting. She herself had never set foot on station, and the shopping was said to be extraordinary.

On a whim, she opened up the incoming ship list that had just arrived. _Assutsi_ , _Catimin-shai_ , _Ikkhtaskti_ , _Jewel of Sharas_ , _Nisarn's Reward_ …and there it was.

_The Pride of Chanur._

Tahy stared at the name, her vision narrowing, then sat back in her chair, took a calming breath, and rubbed her mouth. It had been more than ten years since she had spoken to her mother directly; more than fifteen since she had seen her. Pyanfar Chanur had never seen her grandchildren: might not even know their names, unless someone other than Tahy had given her that information.

And Tahy was far more these days than the all-but-orphaned daughter of the eccentric and dangerously erratic captain of the _Pride_ and the deposed lord of Mahn.

Tahy leaned forward again and pulled up the computer's document system. She selected the handsome template that had been designed for the Mahn mining concern. _To the esteemed Hasmeraje Taranshan-min, Nistanai-An Manufacturing Firm, SR42-5 Gaohn Station_ ….  
 

Pyanfar sat at a very fine table in Tuhary's, a Gaohn restaurant that came highly recommended by her cousin Tiar Chanur, whose interest in all things eatable was a family joke. This was no dockside spacer eatery: the menu before her promised not only traditional dishes of Enafy province but delicacies from all over Anuurn, and even a few mahen specialties. The tea selections included, wonder of wonders, a "green leaf" tea identified as a specialty of Earth. The price was certainly outrageous enough for it to be the real thing.

She checked her pocket unit again. Tahy was nowhere near late, but Pyanfar was so stirred up by the idea of seeing her wayward daughter again that she herself had arrived much too early and dressed to impress. She was wearing her best pair of trousers, silk with fiery shaded stripes of red and orange, and a belt of multiple gold chains in different gauges. Her ears were weighted with all her voyage rings, topped off with a monstrous pendant pearl from Llyene and an earring made from a gold ring meant to fit a human finger. She scanned the nearly-full dining room again, noting with only mild interest at least two hani males and several mahe, and then her gaze snapped back to the entrance.

A tall, slightly stooped woman of middle years stood there, red-gold of fur, greying at the nose and ears, dressed in full-bloused breeches of deep brown silk shot with gold, the colors echoed by narrow gold bracelets set with dark stones on each wrist. She carried a dark leather document case, and Pyanfar had to give this prosperous-looking merchant a second glance, because she had a broader, more placid face than Pyanfar recalled. For the first time, she could see a resemblance to herself, beyond Tahy's height and coloring.

They gazed at each other across the crowded restaurant. Then the restaurant's floor manager came up diffidently, and Tahy Mahn waved the woman off and crossed the room.

"Hullo," said Pyanfar, because otherwise the only option was to sit there like a tongue-tied fool.

"Good afternoon, mother," said Tahy, very politely, as though Pyanfar were some wealthy client, and offered her a hand to touch. Pyanfar returned the businesslike little courtesy. Tahy remained standing. Pyanfar had to fight to keep from rumpling her nose and lowering her ears.

"Sit, for gods' sake," she said, at last.

Tahy smiled gently and did so. "Thank you," she said.

"Want a drink?"

"No, thank you," said Tahy, calm and polite, like ice wouldn't melt in her mouth. "I have a business meeting this afternoon."

And Pyanfar had a ship to run, and officials to settle, and diplomats to chat up. She decided there was no reason to take offense at her daughter's politeness: last time they'd talked, Tahy had still been railing at her like a moody adolescent. This was an improvement, to be honest. "Same here," she answered.

"How about tea? I hear that this place has some really fine ones."

"Even one from human space, if I can believe the menu."

For a moment Tahy's face was a little less firmly polite, and her eyes were bright. "Really!" She snatched up the menu and flipped to the page of beverages. "So. At that price, it had better be. But I thought I'd try their house blend."

The tea in question was a high-quality Anuurn standard mixed with tea leaves from both Idunspol and Llyene. Pyanfar was familiar with the Llyene variety. "Sounds good."

Tahy, suave and masterful, signaled the attendant and ordered tea for them both, instructing the woman to come back shortly to take their lunch orders. Pyanfar was impressed despite herself. If she were still the trader she had once been, she'd expect Tahy to be a very tough sell. "What sort of business, daughter?"

"Clan business. We have an agreement with a mahen firm, and its head has requested a meeting this afternoon. How much do you remember about Mahn?"

Pyanfar put her ears down and back, riled by the thoughtless question. But there was no point in expecting Tahy to spare her mother any reminders that Mahn was no longer her business. She let her ears raise, slowly. "Mostly self-sufficient. Good hunting in the hills, and a little mining to buy the luxuries."

"Well, the mining isn't little anymore. We have operations for germanium, lanthanum, and molybdenum. We've also found a promising site for mining tantalum. We've a contract with Nistanai-An Manufacturing, and they've just opened a new orbital manufacturing facility on the Faheran Station. They make electronics components used in mahen hunter ships and by the fleets of several prominent mahen merchant combines."

The tea arrived, fragrant with the fruity Llyene herb and a spicy note that must be the mahen leaves. Tahy poured them each a cup. It took no dissembling for Pyanfar to look interested in Tahy's news, but — "Increased mining in the hills? What does that do to the wildlife, daughter? Your hunters won't thank you if the game starts moving elsewhere."

Tahy looked proud and pleased at the question. "No worries, mother. I'm sure you know about the importance the mahen'dosat put on what they call the spirituality of operations planetside. At the end of the day, that translates to wildlife management and ecological preservation. I requested a number of studies from Ijir and Idunspol, and put some Enafy University biologists to work with them. The Kahin Hills mines are now being used as examples of good environmental management worldwide. You wouldn't even notice one of our mining operations until you were almost on top of it!"

Pyanfar thought about that. "I'd like to see that someday. Not this trip, though."

"Yes, it's that ship, isn't it?" Tahy slanted an ear toward the dockside sectors. Pyanfar put her cup down.

"No, gods rot it. The ship is the least of it."

The attendant came back, and Pyanfar had to put her annoyance aside. She ordered a whole roasted narvuun stuffed with mincemeat, and a mahen egg-vegetable custard on the side. Tahy ordered a spicy hunter's stew in the southern continental style, thick with vegetables as well as meat. Pyanfar poured them each another cup of tea and settled her temper. "Daughter. You know that much of the trade in the Compact is subject to local legal tangles. I need to head into Kif space as soon as I conclude my business here to put out some fires before they affect the trade that influences your own accounts as well as those of your mahen partners. Gods, this isn't some holiday I'm on!"

"Oh, I know," said Tahy, calmly. "That wasn't meant to be a reminder of old times. In fact, I was wondering whether the _Pride_ could use some Nistanai-An components. I could get you an excellent price."

Pyanfar stared at her. Then she started to chuckle. "You're my daughter, all right, Tahy Mahn. By the gods you are! You have the specs? Send 'em to Haral Araun. She'll have to decide. We won't be pulling out 'til tomorrow night."

The meal arrived, and it was time to put serious business aside. Pyanfar gave the health wish, Tahy answered, and they ate. The food was every bit as good as Tiar's enthusiastic ramblings had promised. Eventually, after the last bits were finished and the attendant brought a final pot of tea, Tahy pulled a business handheld from her leather case and noted that it was almost time to be off to her meeting. She then produced an old-style presentation folder in glossy, heavy cardstock and handed it to Pyanfar. Inside was a business-level prospectus on the partnership between Kihin Hills Mining and Nistanai-An Manufacturing. "That's just for you to flip through," said Tahy. "I'll send cousin Haral the technical specifications."

Pyanfar rummaged under the table for the small duffel she had brought with her and handed it to Tahy. "For the kids," she said.

"Thank you," said Tahy, her polite merchant mask returning. But then, as she stood to go, she suddenly turned back. "Mother?"

"Daughter?"

"Is father well?"

"As sound as ever," said Pyanfar, cautiously. If her daughter thought she could be disrespectful of Khym, she had better think again.

"Tomorrow, I'm taking a shuttle to Faheran Station, for a tour of the Nistanai-An manufactory. Do you think he'd like to go?"  
 

"That was remarkable," Khym said enthusiastically as the shuttle pulled away from Faheran dock. Tahy smiled at her father and ordered them each a drink, along with some salted fish and uruus jerky bits.

"What part was the most impressive to you?" She honestly wanted to know. She didn't get a chance to speak to a completely naive potential customer very often.

"Ehrrrrm, the micro-droplet thing? It makes all those perfect tiny little spheres, and then they all get sorted by size. And the projector they used to show that to us: I liked that too."

Perhaps she could add some images of that to the brochures, and a short vid to the data presentation. "That is a fine projector, you're right. They're obviously used to impressing clients."

Khym was gazing at her steadily, and she didn't think he was still thinking about zero-G metals processing. "It's good to see you doing so well, daughter," he said, and touched the back of her hand gently. 

Tahy felt a rush of affection and only a little frustration. After years of wishing her father decently dead, she was surprised at how easy it was to talk to him, as well as how much she had missed him. It was hard to pinpoint when her thinking had changed. Was it when the deal went through with the mahen'dosat, and she realized that the transformation of the mines was all due to her? Certainly the respect displayed to her by Taranshan-min and her staff during the tour had made her feel rich and powerful.

And perhaps even content.

"Maybe sometime you could come down and see your grandchildren," she said to Khym.

"I'd like that. But what would Kara say?"

"I'd take 'em to Chanur to visit their cousins. We're peaceful enough, now that the borders are all settled again. Aunt Rhean can keep Harun in line long enough for you to do an afternoon's hunt. Rhafy can come along: she's old enough to start taking part."

"Would you be bringing the boys along?"

"Yes, if you like. Just for the visit, not the hunt. They're too small yet."

"I would, but would Kara think I was a bad influence?"

"Khora and Sothan know about you. Kara's even talking about how he'll have to send Sothan to university some day, as long as he doesn't come back again. 'Kid's not a fighter,' he says. He's glad Khora has more spirit."

"Well, who'dve thought it?"

"Times are changing, father."

He smiled. "I guess they've had to, daughter."

After they disembarked at Gaohn, Tahy watched him wander off through the crowd, his tall, broad figure attracting only a few startled glances. Perhaps, years from now, when her nephew finished university, there'd be a place for him here. The glitter and flash of goods in the shop windows along the dockward corridors attracted her attention. The shops would be open for a couple of hours yet. Maybe she should get her shopping done now, the night before her trip back down to Enafy, although Pyanfar's gifts would be more of a novelty to the kids than anything station could provide. 

She stepped into a store at random, attracted by the display of leather goods in the window. She knew that Khym helped Pyanfar with her legal matters; perhaps he would like a document case like Tahy's. And there, in the back of the shop, were some belts of woven, bleached leather, fine and supple as silk. They were encrusted with beads of _ui_ and tiny pearls stitched into intricate patterns. She thought of Pyanfar's pearl earring and asked the price.

"Mahen made," said the shopkeeper, a Sfauryn with a golden coat showing silver shading on the brink of age. She named an outrageous figure. Tahy instantly countered. In the end, neither was fully satisfied, but the sale was made, sweetened on the merchant's side by the added sale of a black leather document case and on Tahy's side by the Sfauryn's reaction to the delivery address: the _Pride of Chanur_.

Back at the comfortable hostelry, she put through a call to the Mahn estate. It was early afternoon there, and after exchanging pleasantries and arrival times with her sisters-in-law, the children were put on. Khora, Jaury, and Sothan shrieked and waved. Chunan and Rhafy, attempting to distance themselves from the tiny cubs, were more restrained.

Finally, Khora asked the question that they had all probably been ordered to avoid. "Did you buy me anything?"

"Nope," Tahy said, not unkindly, although she had to chuckle inwardly at his stifled outrage. "Behave, whelp, or you won't get your present."

"But you said …!"

"That I didn't buy you anything. Doesn't mean I don't have anything for you."

"What is it? How did you get it?"

"You'll have to wait and see what it is. But for the rest…you'll never guess who I met on the station."

Five young faces focused on hers, thousands of meters above them. She drew a deep breath, and began to tell her story.


End file.
